Chance encounter showed Brooks Robinson’s Catholic spirit

It’s never easy seeing a cherished part of your childhood pass.

For anyone who grew up in the Baltimore area in the 1960s and 1970s, Orioles third baseman and converted Catholic Brooks Robinson certainly was part of that childhood.

Robinson, one of the most revered athletes of his generation, passed away at the age of 86 Sept. 26, and no doubt had many Baby Boomers recalling the “good old days.”

It was late St. Anthony of Gardenville parishioner Gordon Beard who summed up Baltimore and Brooks so beautifully when he wrote for Associated Press: “Brooks never asked anyone to name a candy bar after him; in Baltimore, people named their children after him.”

Brooks Robinson was one of the greatest third basemen in baseball history. He won 16 straight Gold Gloves and finished his career with 2,848 hits and 268 home runs – all while wearing number 5 with the Baltimore Orioles. (Courtesy Baltimore Orioles)

To this day, Brooks is a rather popular name in this town.

I don’t have any relatives named Brooks, but the sounds of summer always included my father’s booming voice exclaiming, “Way to go Brooksie!” as the hall of famer made another amazing play on the ball diamond.

In the Jackson household, we weren’t awed too often by star athletes since our father was a prominent local sportswriter. Ball games and practices often served as our babysitter with the nine of us often tagging along and getting a rare close-up glimpse of some of sports’ biggest stars.

There’s a photo somewhere in a family shoebox of my brother Jimmy sitting on a Memorial Stadium bench with NFL Hall of Fame offensive lineman Jimmy Parker. Two of my youngest brothers once played air hockey in the Memorial Stadium clubhouse with Baltimore Colts kicker Toni Linhart. My sister Bernadette got a hug from soccer super star Pelé at halftime of an exhibition match in Baltimore.

But none of that ever compared to meeting Brooks Robinson, which I had the pleasure to do several times in the early days of my writing and editing career.

Here was one of the greatest players ever to put on a baseball mitt, and here was one of the most humble and polite people I ever had the pleasure to encounter. Even though he might be preparing for an evening’s Orioles TV broadcast, he had the time to answer the most mundane question from a rookie reporter and answer every query with genuine thoughtfulness and insight.

However, what I remember most about Brooks Robinson aren’t my professional experiences with him, but a small moment that I think sums up why he’s so beloved in this town.

On a chilly March day a little over a decade ago, I was watching my daughter play lacrosse for the Institute of Notre Dame in an early-season game at Franklin High School. I was sitting with another dad, Chuck Nicely, who happens to be quite fanatical about his Baltimore sports.

I noticed a man sitting in the upper corner of the stands, dressed in a rumpled green windbreaker. After a brief glance, I said to Chuck, “I’m pretty sure that’s Brooks Robinson over there.” Chuck thought I was losing my mind and told me so.

After the game, an easy victory for my daughter Maddy’s team, I headed to the car to get warm while the coach gave the players their post-game talk.

When I got to the car, lo and behold, guess who is parked next to me? The one and only Brooks Robinson. He was there to watch a family member play for Franklin.

When my daughter finally arrived at the car, I just had to introduce her to one of the true legends of Baltimore sports. When I did so, Brooks not only politely shook our hands, but then proceeded to tell Maddy what a great game she had played.

Here’s one of the most famous athletes in town, who clearly wanted to be inconspicuous in his green rumpled jacket, not only making time for a 16-year-old athlete and her enthralled dad but going out of his way to say something special.

Now if that’s not the Catholic spirit, I don’t know what else is.

Rest in peace Brooks, you sure did have a wonderful gift to bring joy to so many, and you continued to share it.

Email Gerry Jackson at gjackson@CatholicReview.org

Also see:

Baltimore’s beloved Brooks Robinson, Catholic convert, dies at 86

Chance encounter showed Brooks Robinson’s Catholic spirit

Brooks Robinson, Oriole legend, buoyed by faith, family, friends

That Time We Met Brooks Robinson

Baltimore sculptor honors Brooksie